Smart remote control system

ABSTRACT

A smart remote control system includes a remote controller and a remote control moving device. The remote controller includes a casing, a first direction finding unit, a signal transmission unit, and an operating unit that controls the advancing direction of the car. The remote control moving device includes a signal receiving unit to receive a control signal and a directional signal transmitted from the remote controller, a main control unit to receive the signal transmitted from the remote controller to control advancing speed and direction of the body, and a second direction finding unit detecting a relative direction between the remote controller and the moving device for the moving device to identify direction and move towards that direction.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(a) Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a smart remote control system, and moreparticularly, to one that is capable of identifying its movingdirection.

(b) Description of the Prior Art

For children or adults, a remote control model car has been always oneof the most favored models. By manipulating a joystick on a remotecontroller, the remote control model car is controlled to advance, back,and taking a turn. However, the moving control of all remote controlmodel cars generally available in the market is done by having the headof the car as a reference direction; therefore, a player is frequentlycaught in an awkward situation that the car moves in the oppositedirection as commanded by the joystick. That is, with the head of themodel car facing the player, the player wants the car to take a rightturn and naturally operate the joystick by pulling it to the right ofthe player and it winds up that the car is actually taking a left turnleading to that the car is tramped by barrier or damaged due toaccidental collision when the car is moving in a direction completelyopposite to the direction the player has in mind. The accident due to amoment of negligence by the operator of the remote control of a modelcar is not unusual in the event of racing among players or in abreathtaking situation when a bomb squad is active in a demolitionoperation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary purpose of the present invention is to provide a smartremote control system having a function of identifying its movingdirection.

To achieve the purpose, the present invention comprising a remotecontroller and a remote control moving device; the remote controllerincluding a casing, a first direction finding unit, an operating unitmounted on the casing and manipulated to output an operating signal tocontrol an advancing direction of the remote control moving device, asignal transmission unit electrically connected with the operating unitand mounted in the casing, the first direction finding unit detecting acontrol signal of an included angle of the remote controller in relationto a reference direction, and the signal transmission unit transmittingthe control signal to the remote control moving device; the remotecontrol moving device including a body that can be driven fordisplacement and taking turns, a second direction finding unit mountedto the body to detect an orientation signal of the body in relation tothe same reference direction, a signal receiving unit mounted to thebody to receive and process the control signal, and a main control unitmounted to the body to receive and integral a relative orientationsignal of the body and the control signal for driving the body todisplace and turn into the advancing direction as commanded.

Preferably, the operating unit is provided with a joystick or keysexposed out of the casing that can be pulled or pressed to swing inrelation to the casing; and the operating unit responds by outputtingthe operating signal when the joystick or one of the keys is pulled orpressed.

Preferably, the transmission and receiving of the control signal betweenthe signal transmission unit and the signal receiving unit istransmitted by means of a wireless transmission way.

Preferably, the transmission and receiving of the control signal betweenthe signal transmission unit and the signal receiving unit istransmitted by means of a wireless transmission interface of infrared,radio wave, ultrasonic wave or light wave.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a functional block chart showing a preferred embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing a relative orientation between aremote control moving device moving direction and a direction that ajoystick is pushed of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIG. 1, a preferred embodiment of the present inventioncomprises a remote controller 3 and a remote control moving device 4.The remote controller 3 includes a casing 31, a signal transmission unit36 mounted in the casing 31, a signal process unit 34 mounted in thecasing 31 that is electrically connected to the signal transmission unit36, an operating unit 33 exposed out of the casing 31, and a firstdisplay unit 35 and a first direction finding unit 32 electricallyconnected to the signal process unit 34 and exposed out of the casing31. The first direction finding unit 32 is an electrical compass or maybe other equivalent members.

The signal transmission unit 36 may be an infrared transmitter, InfraredData Association (IRDA), laser beam, radio wave, ultrasonic wave, orother wireless.

The operating unit 33 is electrically connected to the signal processunit 34 and includes a joystick (or directional keys) 331 that can bepulled to control. When the joystick (or directional keys) 331 ispulled, the operating unit 33 will output an operating signalcorresponding to the direction pulled and swing extent of the joystick(or directional keys) 331 to the signal process unit 34, and the contentof the operating signal includes speed and driving direction to drivethe remote control moving device 4.

The signal process unit 34 receives and controls the operating signaland in turn outputs a control signal to the signal transmission unit 36representing physical demand a direction for the remote control movingdevice 4 to advance.

The signal transmission unit 36 converts the control signal into apreset type of transmission interface to be transmitted to the remotecontrol moving device 4 to drive it to take action. The preset type oftransmission interface is a wireless transmission way of infrared, radiowave, ultrasonic or light wave. In the preferred embodiment, the signaltransmission 36 executes transmission of the control signal viaBluetooth wireless transceiver; however, in practice, signaltransmission means includes but not limited to ultrasonic,electromagnetic wave or other photoelectric transmission means or cabledtransmission.

The remote control moving device 4 includes a body 41 that is capable ofdisplacing and taking turns when driven, a signal receiving unit 42mounted in the body 41 to receive the control signal output by thesignal transmission unit 36, a second direction finding unit 43 mountedin the body 41 to detect an orientation of the remote controller 3 inrelation to the body 41, and a second display unit 45 to display amoving message of the body 41. The second display unit 45 iselectrically connected to a main control unit 44 and exposed out of thebody 41. The remote control moving device 4 may be a vacuum cleaner, abomb demolition car or any other machine with its displacementcontrolled by a remote controller.

In the preferred embodiment, a motor mechanism (not illustrated) and awheel mechanism (not illustrated) of the body 41 are respectively drivenand taking turns by the main control unit 44 thus to change thedisplacement speed and advancing direction of the body 41. Whereas thestructural design for the body 41 and operation of the motor mechanismand the wheel mechanism are the prior art and not the purpose sought bythe present invention, they are not given in detailed description here.

The signal receiving unit 42 receives the control signal transmitted bythe signal transmission unit 36 and then converts the control signal tobe transmitted to the main control unit 44. In the preferred embodiment,the signal receiving unit 42 picks up the control signal throughBluetooth wireless transmission interface. However, in practice, themode of the signal receiving unit 42 to receive signal may varydepending on the transmission interface of the signal transmission unit36.

The second direction finding unit 43 is an electrical compass or may beother equivalent members. The second direction finding unit 43 detectsthe direction of the remote controller 3 in relation to the advancingdirection of the remote control moving device 4 and in turn outputs anorientation signal representing a relative orientation signal to themain control unit 44.

The main control unit 44 receives and analyzes the control signalconverted and outputted from the signal receiving unit 42 to controldisplacement speed of the body 41 and drive it to more in the directiondesired while driving the second display unit 45 to indicate thencurrent advancing direction of the body 41 either in pattern animationor arrow coordinates.

As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, control of taking turns of the body 41by the remote controller 3 is described below.

Supposing that a current location of a head of the body 41 is determinedby using an included angle γ° in relation to a reference direction N(e.g., a northern direction of terrestrial magnetism) measured by thesecond direction finding unit 43 as indicated by an arrow 501, andanother included angle α° in relation to the reference direction N(e.g., a northern direction of the terrestrial magnetism) measured bythe first direction finding unit 32 as indicated by an arrow 502; anoperator when desiring to drive the body 41 to a certain direction,simply pulls (pushes) the joystick (or the directional keys) 331 to thatdirection as indicated by an arrow 503. Supposing that the direction anda front direction of the casing 31 define an included angle of β°, theoperating unit 33 will respond to the direction given to and extent of aforce exercised on the joystick (or the directional keys) 331 output anoperating signal for the signal process unit 34 to solve the directionthe body 41 is demanded to advance and output a corresponding controlsignal.

The main control unit 44 of the remote control moving device 4 uponreceiving the control signal drives the motor mechanism (notillustrated) to take action while the main control unit 44 will integralthe control signal and the orientation signal outputted by the seconddirection finding unit 43 to solve the current direction of the head ofthe body 41 and an included angle of the advancing direction theoperator desires: Φ°=α°+β°−γ°; the body 41 is then driven to turn for Φ°and advancing in the direction as indicated by the arrow 503. (Theaforesaid Φ°=α°+β°−γ° is calculated by that the signal process unit 34first calculates the value of α°+β° and transmits the value to the maincontrol unit 44, and then the main control unit 44 calculates α°+β°−γ°,or the signal process unit 34 first transmits the values of α° and β° tothe main control unit 44, and then the main control unit 44 calculatesα°+β°−γ°.) In the preferred embodiment, it is preset that once |Φ°|>90,the main control unit 44 drives the body 41 to retreat in the directionas indicated by the arrow 503; and once |Φ°|□ 90, the main control unit44 drives the body 41 to forward in the direction as indicated by thearrow 503. The body 41 can be moved smoothly according to the aboveconditions. However, a practical operation is not limited by thepreferred embodiment.

For example, if the included angle γ° of the body 41 in relation to N isequal to 90° and the included angle α° of the remote controller 3 inrelation to N is equal to 30° and the operator desires to cause theremote control moving device 4 to turn to advance in the direction of anincluded angle β° of 90° in relation to N; the main control unit 44solves the Φ° is equal to 30°. Whereas |Φ°|□ 90, the main control unit44 drives the body 41 to directly advance and take a turn of 30°, thatis, moving towards the direction as that commanded by pulling orpressing the joystick or one of the directional keys 331 in advancingmode.

Accordingly, by having both the direction finding units 32 and 43 torespectively detect the relative orientations of the casing 31 of theremote controller 3 and the body 41 in relation to the North Pole ofterrestrial magnetism, it is no longer necessary for the operator incontrolling the advancing direction of the remote control moving device4 to take the direction of the head of the body 41 into consideration;instead, the operator simply pulls or presses the joystick or one of thedirectional keys 331 towards the direction desired to forthwith drivethe remote control moving device 4 to move in the direction as commandedby the joystick (or the directional key) 331.

It is to be noted that the preferred embodiment disclosed in thespecification and the accompanying drawings are not limiting the presentinvention; and that any construction, installation, or characteristicsthat is same or similar to that of the present invention should fallwithin the scope of the purposes and claims of the present invention.

1. A smart remote control system, comprising a remote controller and aremote control moving device; the remote controller including a casing,a first direction finding unit, an operating unit mounted on the casingand manipulated to output an operating signal to control an advancingdirection of the remote control moving device, a signal transmissionunit electrically connected with the operating unit and mounted in thecasing, the first direction finding unit detecting a control signal ofan included angle of the remote controller in relation to a referencedirection, and the signal transmission unit transmitting the controlsignal to the remote control moving device; the remote control movingdevice including a body that can be driven for displacement and takingturns, a second direction finding unit mounted to the body to detect anorientation signal of the body in relation to the same referencedirection, a signal receiving unit mounted to the body to receive andprocess the control signal, and a main control unit mounted to the bodyto receive and integral a relative orientation signal of the body andthe control signal for driving the body to displace and turn into theadvancing direction as commanded.
 2. The smart remote control system asclaimed in claim 1, wherein the operating unit is provided with ajoystick or keys exposed out of the casing that can be pulled or pressedto swing in relation to the casing; and the operating unit responds byoutputting the operating signal when the joystick or one of the keys ispulled or pressed.
 3. The smart remote control system as claimed inclaim 1, wherein the transmission and receiving of the control signalbetween the signal transmission unit and the signal receiving unit istransmitted by means of a wireless transmission way.
 4. The smart remotecontrol system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the transmission andreceiving of the control signal between the signal transmission unit andthe signal receiving unit is transmitted by means of a wirelesstransmission interface of infrared, radio wave, ultrasonic or lightwave.
 5. The smart remote control system as claimed in claim 1, thefirst and second direction finding units are electrical compasses.